Art Deco with an Arts & Crafts flair is the setting for this new Victory Music open mic, which is located at Espresso Americano on the corner of Everett and Hoyt in downtown Everett. This venue is the old Everett Library, a great room with high ceilings, very good acoustics, comfortable seating and a very enthusiastic audience that listens. Randy Littlefield does a fine job on sound, and I hear he plays a mean banjo, too. All you folks in the Everett area are very fortunate to have this room, which rates high on the listening room scale for open mics.
We owe our thanks for this new open mic to Joe Misiuda and Alex Perlman, both of whom are active Victory Music members. Joe approached Alex, a Victory board member, and expressed the need for a quality open mic in the Everett area. Since it is the mission statement of Victory Music to promote music in the Northwest, Alex proposed the idea to the board and the result is this wonderful venue. You may have seen Joe and Alex play together at one of the other Victory open mics, as they also collaborate on music.
Joe does a great job as emcee, and long-time Victory member and regular open mic performer Willow takes care of the sign-up, which starts at 5:30 PM. Willow is also a fine harmonica player and loves to jam with other musicians, especially if you play the blues.
Speaking of the blues, Jim McLaughlin’s recent set was a real treat as he jammed out on only 12 notes. He really does have a point there—can you believe how much music he can squeeze out of a harmonica? I think it’s so great when a master like Jim stops by to share their knowledge and inspire us all, while reminding us of how basic the roots of our music are.
Espresso Americano is the heart of this open mic, and thanks to Ron and his staff we have a real treasure. They have created a warm, comfortable space and their generous hospitality will make you feel at home. You can sit back in a stuffed chair and listen to some local talent or mingle with other musicians. Enjoy some of their cafe fare at a nice wood table—there’s plenty of room for the whole family. Thanks to Ron, live music is happening at Espresso Americano with its open mic and regular weekend line-up of talent. Check out their Web site at: www.espressoamericano.com.
This open mic happens every 2nd and 4th Thursday. Sign-up is at 5:30 PM, music starts at 6:00 PM and runs until 9:00 PM.
Espresso Americano
2702 Hoyt Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
E-mail: info@espressoamericano.com
Phone: 425.259.3492
Fax: 425.337.3547
The Ramblin’ Mike welcomes your comments.

Michael Guthrie is a singer/songwriter who regularly plays venues in the Northwest and is a Victory Music sound volunteer. He has produced his own CD and ran his own coffee house/cafe, The Village Green Cafe in Kaslo, BC, from 1973-79. He studied sound engineering and recording at Sound Master Recording Studios in North Hollywood, CA in 1987. Contact moorafa@mindspring.com www.moorafa.com